


Swordplay

by ArthurtheGatekeeper



Series: Swordplay [1]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: And that wins Vesemir a lot of coin, BAMF Jaskier | Dandelion, Competent Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt is too dense for his own good, He knows EXACTLY what he's doing, Jaskier Sexual Witchers, M/M, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Too bad Geralt can't see that, and eskel getting the love he deserves, chapter 2 now includes honest conversations about their relationships, look that one's not on me he just decided to be, shy Eskel, witcher sexual Jaskier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24021463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArthurtheGatekeeper/pseuds/ArthurtheGatekeeper
Summary: Things have been getting tense at the keep. Ciri is frustrated. Jaskier is bored. It's a recipe for disaster.Then Vesemir decides Jaskier is joining them for training. A decision that can only end in lost limbs and bloodshed.AKA- How Geralt learned Jaskier knows how to wield a sword.
Relationships: Eskel/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion/Lambert
Series: Swordplay [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748047
Comments: 93
Kudos: 1241





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anarchycox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/gifts).



> Note the rating! This fic contains only actual swordplay and a great deal of sword based innuendo.

Ciri was frustrated.

It had been two weeks since they’d arrived in Kaer Morhen and two weeks since Vesemir had let her touch a blade.

It was his fault of course. He knew he should have started with the basic forms. Made sure they were perfect before he let her anywhere near a sword.

But they’d been on the road, with an entire country chasing them. She’d been scared. So he’d decided to teach her how to hold a blade, swing it, protect herself just in case.

Which meant all the little mistakes in her form he’d allowed were now muscle memory. And unlike Geralt, Vesemir wouldn’t be swayed by her puppy eyes or pouting. Not on this. Vesemir was a pushover in many regard but good form was not one of them. Good form kept people alive. He wouldn’t let her touch a sword until her mistakes were fixed lest they become more engrained. 

So she was frustrated. Geralt dreaded Yennifer’s arrival in a few weeks. If things hadn’t improved by then the added stress of learning magic might have her bringing the keep down around them. 

A concern he could read in everyone’s shoulders tonight.

Although that might have been due in part to Jaskier’s seventeenth rendition of Toss a Coin in a row.

He’d taken to modifying the song each time. Singing it in different keys. Using funny voices. The man often did this when he had too much energy and little outlet.

It made Ciri giggle so he ignored it. A skill he’d acquired early in their companionship. 

When Lambert banged on the table and screamed at him to “Play Something Fucking else” it occurred to Geralt that the other Witchers might not have that skill.

Then Lambert started to cross the room towards the bard and it occurred to him how bad that might be.

“Sit down Lambert.” Vesemir ordered. Lambert stopped and grumbled. “Jaskier you’re joining us for practice in the morning.”

Geralt sputtered.

Vesemir didn’t know Jaskier like he did. There were lots of reasons he’d never taught Jaskier how to use a sword. Why he hadn’t even thought to suggest it even when he’d noted the Bard growing restless.

Like how often he picked verbal fights that devolved into fistfights if Geralt wasn’t close enough to dissuade the other parties. If Jaskier thought he knew how to use a sword he might grab one and try to use it. Making the fight infinitely more dangerous for everyone in the area. A cut was far more dangerous than a black eye. And an unconscious drunkard was far less likely to get them driven out of a town than a bleeding or dead one.

Or he might decide to carry one on the road. A visible weapon on someone as normally unassuming as the bard? They’d attack instead of merely threatening him at sword point. Which could easily become a deadly situation. 

And when they were attacked as a group? Jaskier trying to fight might distract an enemy off of him but running away screaming did the same thing without risking injury. And his injuries took far longer to heal. Plus he whined a lot when he was injured. 

He started to explain this to Vesemir. Why it that was a terrible idea. How not even Vesemir- a master fencing instructor- could possibly keep Jaskier from accidentally removing someone’s toes or fingers this winter. 

But Jaskier cut him off.

“Alright!” He cheerfully responded from where he lounged on a chair.

“Be in the courtyard by first light.”

“Wait first light? Can’t we maybe have it a little later for my first day?” Jaskier whined sitting up enough to send Vesemir a pleading look.

“No.” Vesemir hadn’t been swayed by Ciri to move back the start time of training. Jaskier had never stood a chance. It was winter and they didn’t have much daylight anyway. “Geralt make sure he’s on time.”

He grunted. 

His bard, his responsibility Vesemir had told him when they’d arrived. Which had annoyed Jaskier a great deal, declaring that he wasn’t an untrained dog. Although the endless loop of toss a coin and the ever growing amount of pranks he’d pulled might have undermined his point.

Jaskier grumbled and leaned back into his chair. He began playing again. Thankfully, a different song. 

Lambert sat back down and resumed his game with Eskel.

Geralt wished he was surprised when he had to carry Jaskier down to the courtyard in the morning. Ciri trailed behind them bleary eyed. 

“Its waaaay too early to be awake and outside in this cold air!” Jaskier complained echoing the complaints Ciri had grumbled under her breath nearly every morning for the past week.

“You’ll get used to it.” She yawned, just as Geralt had responded every time.

Geralt frowned dropping Jaskier in a courtyard snow drift. He yelped and scuttled out.

“What was that for?” He screeched. 

“Making me carry you.” He replied. When Jaskier glared at him he continued. “Take this seriously or you’ll get hurt.”

Jaskier stood up and brushed himself off. “Yes, yes I know.”

He caught Jaskier’s arm, pulling him sharply next to him, and growled “I mean it Jaskier.”

Jaskier fixed him with an unimpressed stare. “I know Geralt.”

Vesemir called them to start their warm up exercises. They’d taken to doing them as a group to keep an eye on Ciri. A fact she seemed well aware of given how tense she got. 

Today however the focus was on Jaskier. 

Eskel tried to politely correct his form. Geralt hated how polite he was with Jaskier. He’d hoped they’d be fast friends but Eskel had remained oddly distant. Geralt had no idea what the problem was, much less how to fix it.

Lambert made fun of him and how far he could stretch. Jaskier might have been remarkably flexible, he didn't know, but next to several Witchers and an athletic child he was seriously outmatched. Jaskier snapped back at him trading insults with practiced ease. 

Geralt was thankful for the tense relation Yennifer and Jaskier shared. It had prepared the bard for Lambert.

Vesemir didn’t say much aside from correcting Jaskier a handful of times. For the first time since they’d arrived he hadn’t corrected Ciri once.

She was far more excited by the time they finished warmup then she’d been since Vesemir had taken the sword from her that first day.

“Alright sword time!” Jaskier declared letting Ciri pull him into a standing position.

They all grimaced. Vesemir opened his mouth to correct him.

“No! You have to learn the correct form before you can touch the swords! Or else you’ll just hurt yourself or someone around you.” Ciri scolded him.

They blinked.

Jaskier huffed and crossed his arms. “Sounds boring.”

“We’ll do it together.” Ciri declared leading him through the basic stances on her own. Vesemir moved over to watch and instruct. The rest of them exchanged questioning glances before beginning practice themselves.

Based on the corrections Ciri and Vesemir were making it seemed like Jaskier had been paying attention to his lessons with Ciri. Unfortunately that meant he made the same mistakes she’d been struggling with. Only bigger. And more. Because it was Jaskier.

When he took a break she had clearly improved.

After an hour Jaskier’s legs started shaking, clearly unaccustomed to the forms even if he had spent a life trailing after a Witcher. 

He shot Vesemir a look hoping the man would notice before Jaskier hurt himself. 

He returned an unimpressed stare but moved them onto sparing.

Jaskier and Ciri weren’t allowed to spar yet but Jaskier always made sure to join them for this portion. He never failed to comment on their _forms _.__

__That was Jaskier for you._ _

__Ciri and Lambert seemed to find his comments entertaining. Vesemir didn’t care. Geralt had heard them all before._ _

__But Eskel. Eskel seemed off._ _

__Geralt resolved to ask him about it later._ _

__When they finished for the day Ciri was still upbeat and cheerful. Although her assigned reading of the bestiary was sure to change that by days end._ _

__Jaskier declared he needed a nap and wandered off._ _

__Eskel headed towards the gate._ _

__“Eskel.” He jogged after him as he slipped out between the doors. “Can I join you?”_ _

__“I’m just getting firewood.” He said raising an eyebrow._ _

__“I wanted to talk.”_ _

__“That’s rare.”_ _

__“Hmm.”_ _

__“That’s more like it wolf.” He said shoving Geralt. He shoved back._ _

__They walked in silence for a while._ _

__He split a broken branch into a portable size. “You don’t like Jaskier.”_ _

__“What? No!”_ _

__He looked at him._ _

__“I like him Geralt!” He began hacking apart a larger branch with a hand axe he’d brought. “I’m just not sure about him is all. He’s confusing.”_ _

__Jaskier was not confusing. He said what he thought and wore his heart on his sleeve. Except when he didn’t and you had to listen for what he wasn’t saying._ _

__No wait that was confusing. Eskel had a point._ _

__“I mean I knew he was a bard and that he talked.” Saying that he talked seemed insufficient. Like saying it snowed at Kaer Morhen. Implying flurries instead of blizzards._ _

__He grunted._ _

__“And at first it was just that I didn’t know how much he could take you know? And I didn’t want to push him too far.” They were rather prone to roughhousing. But Jaskier could take a fair amount of it too and he wasn’t afraid to call uncle when it got too much for him. Besides Jaskier was more than happy to trade insults if Eskel wasn’t comfortable with shoulder checks and punches._ _

__“But then he started making those comments during sparing. About how good our form was. How lovely our stances were.” Eskel rubbed at his scar. “And he just kept staring. It was just. Weird.”_ _

__Oh._ _

__“That’s because he thinks you’re beautiful.” Geralt had endured a great deal of Jaskier’s poetic stylings about his brothers every night since they’d arrived. He collected the wood into a pile._ _

__Eskel looked at him like was mad._ _

__“No he doesn’t.” He glared._ _

__“He does.”_ _

__“Geralt” Eskel growled._ _

__“Then ask him yourself. I’m sick of listening to him bard to me and I’m not repeating it.”_ _

__Eskel studied him, task forgotten._ _

__“You’re serious?”_ _

__“Hmm.”_ _

__“Oh.” Eskel studied the hand ax intently._ _

__“If you want him to stop-“_ _

__Eskel cut him off “No! That’s alright!”_ _

__He nodded._ _

__“Woods not going to cut itself.”_ _

__“Oh sod off wolf.” Eskel replied as he resumed his hacking._ _

__

__Jaskier complained about his sore legs and the early hours they kept but he didn’t make Geralt carry him out to the courtyard after the first day._ _

__Drag him, yes. But not carry him. Geralt counted it as a win._ _

__Ciri seemed to manage far better when Jaskier was training with them. Like it took the pressure off her._ _

__Jaskier had improved remarkably quickly, although Geralt suspected it was simply because the man had few bad habits to unlearn having never touched a blade before._ _

__Four days later Vesemir approved them for practice swords._ _

__Geralt made sure to tuck an emergency medical kit nearby. For when the inevitable occurred._ _

__It was just a matter of time._ _

__

__“You going to show us your form one of these days Bard or are you all talk and no substance?” Lambert snapped as he struggled against Eskel’s pin._ _

__“Oh I’d be happy to show you my _form _anytime Lambert.” Jaskier sent him his trademark wink and white smile.____

____

____Eskel froze._ _ _ _

____

____Lambert shoved him off and scrambled over to his sword. “Oh yeah? How about right now.” He stood up and started advancing on Jaskier._ _ _ _

____

____Geralt did not like that face. He did not like Lambert’s face in general but this one was especially concerning. “Let’s see you use that sword.”_ _ _ _

____

____Geralt stepped between them._ _ _ _

____

____“You’re not fighting him just because Eskel kicked your ass Lambert.”_ _ _ _

____

____“And what an ass it is!”_ _ _ _

____

____“Jaskier.” He snapped. “Not helping!”_ _ _ _

____

____“He’ll be fine Geralt! You know your way around a _sword _don’t you, _Bard _?”________

_______ _ _ _

He reached for Jaskier, his eyes dark. 

_______ _ _ _

________“I certainly might, _Witcher _.” He could hear Jaskier’s eyebrows wiggling behind him.__________

_________ _ _ _ _ _

__________Geralt grabbed Lambert’s arm, halting him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Don’t.” He growled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________ _ _ _ _ _

__________Lambert bared his teeth at him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh, what Geralt? He wants to _spar _. Let the man spar.”____________

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt was getting sick of that tone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You’ll hurt him.” He squeezed Lambert's arm hard baring his teeth right back. “Back off.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________They growled at each other._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lambert ripped his arm away and retreated. “Then you fucking spar him! Or give one of us a goddamn turn if you’re too chicken shit.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Oooh can we?” Jaskier pleaded pressing up against his back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“No.” Geralt growled which was drowned out by Vesemir’s bored “Sure.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He turned to Vesemir, betrayed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The traitor ignored him. Laying out the rules. Like a traitor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“-No signs and first one to disarm wins.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier bounded over to his sword brushing his hand over Eskel’s forearm as he passed. “Wish me luck!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Eskel breathed in sharply and stayed perfectly still. Until Jaskier bent over to pick up his sword. Then he remembered how to move._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt no longer wanted them to be friends._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He moved into position. Jaskier beamed at him shifting back and forth excitedly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Maybe he could go easy on him. So he didn’t feel too bad by how outclassed he was. He just had to go hard enough to keep Jaskier from ever trying to spar the other Witchers without destroying him so completely that he refused to join them anymore._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Easy._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The traitor was glaring at him. He looked over._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“If you throw this fight you’re cleaning the baths by yourself this winter.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Fuck._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He hated cleaning the baths._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He wasn’t going to throw the fight anyway. Even Jaskier knew he couldn’t beat a Witcher in a fair fight._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________But that meant he had to go hard enough to keep Vesemir off his back too._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________This was getting complicated._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier was moving forward with a jab._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Fuck._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Had Vesemir called start?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He took a step back and blocked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier pulled back for a swing. He telegraphed too much. The movements should have been smaller. He’d scold him for that after._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He sidestepped the force of the blow blocking it easily._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He let Jaskier take a few more attacks. Jaskier moved much slower than the Witchers. It would give Ciri a better demonstration if she could see the movements._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Ok. Jaskier was repeating himself. That was enough._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He swung at Jaskier’s side. He would pull the blow so Jaskier didn’t get bruised._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier blocked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________That was unexpected._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier dove forward trying to shove him off balance. He shifted his foot back steadying them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier was grinning darkly at him. “Lets dance.” He whispered into his ear._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt shivered and shoved him back. Too much force. He’d knock him over._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier stumbled back but regained his stance, still grinning._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt should have finished him when he’d stumbled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He had just. Needed a moment._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier prowled around him. Waiting for him to attack._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He didn’t need to attack. Jaskier would come to him. He was too aggressive. Happy to throw the first attack. And the second. And the third._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He really needed Jaskier to stop picking fights._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier moved to swing wide again. He raised his arm to easily block it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Then the movement artfully twisted into a jab._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt rushed into a parry. It was still good form. But he knew Vesemir would scold him for buying the feint._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He growled as Jaskier retreated a step. He was breathing hard. This was a long time for a human fight to last._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He was ending this now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He moved forward swinging. Moving a little faster than was probably fair._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________If Jaskier wanted fair he shouldn’t have fought a witcher._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier managed the first block._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Then a parry._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt swung faster. Harder._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier sidestepped into the swing cutting it off before it could gain any significant force._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt snatched his blade hand and pressed down on his wrist._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier’s face was right next to his. He could smell the sweat. The thrill. Jaskier was enjoying this._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Cocky bastard. He squeeze his wrist tighter. The blade loosened in his grip._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier surged forward covering the scant distance between them. A headbutt? Fuck. Jaskier did like to fight dirty._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________There were lips on his._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He froze._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier nipped at his bottom lip. Ran his tongue over his. They parted slightly at the request._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________His grip on Jaskier’s wrist loosened into a gentle hold. Jaskier’s other arm ran down his until it was nudging his closed hand. Asking to hold it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He sank deeper into the kiss. Let Jaskier peel his hand from the hilt so they could intertwine fingers._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The sword clattered to the ground._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier pulled back. Brilliant blue eyes sparkling. Lips red._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“I win.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He blinked, dazed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Jaskier you won!” Ciri shrieked bouncing over to them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The noise jarred him. He glanced around wildly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Lambert and Eskel were handing Vesemir coin._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________That didn’t help._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________His sword was on the ground._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You whoremonger! Fighting dirty like that! Fucking hell Jaskier, wish I’d gotten to spar you instead.” Lambert roared delighted. He pulled him into a headlock and mussed his hair._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier spent way too much time getting his hair to look right. He hated people messing with it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier grabbed onto Lamberts arm and pressed into the tousle, ecstatic. “Not like I could win in a fair fight!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You looked so good! You made it look so easy!” Ciri praised._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You’ve been trained well.” Vesemir noted. Admiration warming his tone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“That’s high praise coming from the master fencer! I’ll be sure to pass it on!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You fight good.” Eskel managed. He had turn himself to the side to hide the scar. Again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Ah!” Jaskier squeaked. He wiggled out of Lamberts hold and threw his arms around Eskel’s neck, carefully avoiding the shoulder spikes. They’d stabbed Jaskier last week. Eskel had stared at them for the next two days like he was considering filling them down._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!” He pecked a kiss against Eskels face, right over the scar._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Eskel went ridged as a stone. Geralt vaguely wondered if that’s what Witchers looked like when they blushed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Geralt put his practice sword away. The chattering was loud and excited and he couldn’t right now. He needed quiet._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He slipped out of the courtyard, away from the cheerful noise._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You alright there Geralt? You’ve been extra quiet today. Was losing to me truly such devastation?” Jaskier called down the hallway after him. The last rays of sun dipping through the window._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He turned to look back at the man. His lips had been chapped in the courtyard. He wondered if they still were._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“You never mention you knew how to use a sword.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Jaskier bit his lip and his eyes shown with delight. “Oh I thought I made it perfectly clear how good I was with my sword.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Jaskier.” He tried to growl reproachfully but the way Jaskier’s eyes darkened made him think he missed the mark._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“Yes you see my father rather hoped some old fashioned sword work might make a respectable man out of me.” He was advancing on Geralt again. He took step after step back until his back hit the wall. “And while knighthood never called for me I found that, well. Some aspects of did.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“The _forms _. The _hard _work.” Jaskier ran his hand up Geralt’s arm up to his chest and held it there.________________

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“The swords?” Geralt suggested barely suppressing a shiver._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________“The _swords _.” Jaskier grinned in agreement.__________________

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Jaskier leaned in and whispered in his ear “Do you like swords Geralt?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Geralt swallowed. He watched Jaskier track the bob of his adams apple._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He nodded._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Want to work on your swordplay with me?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He did._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He slipped his arms around Jaskier and lightly squeezed his ass. Jaskier squeaked in surprise._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Your technique needs work. You’re too aggressive.” A blush started on Jaskier’s cheeks. Geralt like that._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Ooh?” Geralt leaned in and kissed his neck breathing in the scent._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Why don’t you,” Jaskier was cut off by a moan as Geralt mouthed his neck. “Give me a demonstration then? Of the-aah – proper technique?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________Geralt pulled back. “Bedroom?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________“Bedroom.” Jaskier agreed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Pies and their fillings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geralt asks some follow up questions, Jaskier sleeps with Lambert, Eskel gets some love, and Ciri gets a nap.

“It was a trick then?” Geralt’s eyes were closed enjoying the afterglow.

“Hm?” Jaskier questioned from atop the mattress he’d made of Geralt. He’d need to tuck a blanket over them soon to make sure he didn’t freeze. There just weren’t any in reach. 

They could wait a bit longer.

“Acting like you didn’t know how to fight. The mistakes in training. Complaining about sore muscles.”

Jaskier smacked his shoulder lazily. “Those sore muscles were not fake. And I shall have several more by morn. Show some sympathy.”

He reached down to massage said sore muscles. Jaskier made an appreciative groan.

He’d be very sore if he didn’t stop making those noises.

“But it was a trick then?” Jaskier’s eyes flickered open and looked at him concerned.

“I’d call kissing you during that fight a tactic Geralt. Not a trick. I wasn’t deceiving you on my interest. I thought I’d made that rather obvious tonight.”

“No- not.” He huffed and Jaskier made an encouraging sound. “Not knowing how to fight.”

Jaskier raised an eyebrow. “I never claimed I didn’t know how to fight. That one’s on you.” He thought for a moment. “And Ciri gave me that lecture two days ago about proper sword etiquette, which from anyone else I’d have assumed was a joke but she was very serious.”

“And you know what? I’m pretty sure I saw Eskel and Lambert paying Vesemir after I won.” Jaskier propped himself up on his elbows. “It was a lot of coin too. I think I won Vesemir a new set of armor today.” 

He looked appalled. 

“You thought I learned all the basic forms in four days- to Vesemir’s satisfaction- and you didn’t at least think I was a fucking natural? That maybe I would be dangerous with a sword?”

Geralt looked over at the blankets on the floor. “I thought you’d be dangerous with a sword.” He said trying to shuffle over to a blanket. Jaskier always fell asleep when he was wrapped up in a blanket.

And his arms.

“Oh! Don’t think I don’t know what that means!” He pinned Geralt to the bed with remarkable skill. He could still get out but it was impressive. “I saw that med kit you brought out when we started using swords. I had hoped you had just brought out because you were worried about Ciri. But it seems I’ve overestimated you!”

“Jaskier.” He argued.

“Don’t you Jaskier me. I expect this from your brothers. I understand it from Ciri. But you have known me two decades Geralt.”

Geralt tried to disappear into the bed. It might have worked better if the bed had any blankets or pillows left on it.

He tried to look apologetic. He’d attempted to master it before they reunited.

Jaskier said it made him look constipated.

Which was rude.

But it had made Jaskier laugh. It seemed like he hadn’t laughed in a while. 

He wasn’t laughing now.

His face contorted in anger.

“Oh fuck you Geralt.” He rolled off the bed. Grabbed a blanket off the floor. Wrapped it around his shoulders.

Headed for the door.

He scrambled out of the bed after him. “Where are you going?” 

Jaskier didn’t have a bedroom. They had spare rooms but they hadn’t made one up for him.

Jaskier snarled at him and opened the door in his face.

He sidestepped around it to chase Jaskier into the hallway.

He jumped back into the room.

Fuck.

Why were the others in the hallway?

Lambert let out a whistle.

He grabbed his trousers.

Fuck why did he care about modesty right now? Ciri was in bed and they’d all seen each other naked before.

He shoved himself into his pants and tried not to think about it.

“Vesemir! The only man in this keep who-“

“No.” Came Vesemir’s steadfast reply. 

Geralt let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s fair. Lambert.”

Geralt ran into the hallway.

Vesemir was retreating into his room. Eskel was frozen at his door.

Lambert was grinning in the middle of the hallway. 

Jaskier walked straight for him.

“Still up for that spar?” He pressed his near naked form against him.

Lambert grinned at him. Then their eyes met.

Fuck.

Lambert spun Jaskier behind him. Grin getting wider.

“Jaskier.” He reached out to grab him and pull him back into the room.  
Lambert grabbed his arm.

That smile was too wide. 

“No you already got to spar him. And it seems like you might have hurt him. It’s my turn.”

He bore his teeth at him.

He was going to kill him.

Jaskier yanked on Lamberts excessive collar. “Less dick measuring and more fucking Lambert.”

Lambert let out a delighted laugh, glancing back at him. He let himself be hauled towards and then tossed into his room. 

Geralt reached out for him again before he crossed the threshold.

Jaskier snapped to face him. “No.”

He froze.

“You are going back to your room where you will sleep alone.”

A plaintive whine escaped him.

Jaskier’s eyes did not soften. “Go.”

He retreated several paces. He glanced at Jaskier.

His face was hard.

He went to his room.

He twisted back to him at the open door.

Jaskier was still watching him. Arms crossed.

The noise escaped again. High and whining. 

Jaskier turned and closed the door behind him.

“Man what did you do?” Eskel called down the hall.

Sounds started in Lambert’s room.

He slammed the door closed behind him.

“Yeah that sounds about right.” Came Eskel’s reply from the hallway. 

Lambert had his arm around Jaskier’s shoulders when they came down for training.

He stalked over to them. 

He was going to kill Lambert. 

Vesemir smacked him.

“Warmup’s first.”

He growled.

This was his fault.

He had let Jaskier fight yesterday. He had made Jaskier join them for training.

Vesemir met his bared teeth with an exasperated huff.

“Idiot.”

He didn’t need a sword to fight.

“How was your night Ciri?” Jaskier asked in a chipper tone. He turned towards it.  
Vesemir wandered across the courtyard to direct warmups.

He could fight him later.

“Fine.” She responded stretching the sleep from her muscles.

“Geralt fine or my fine?”

She hesitated.

She hadn’t woken them up with nightmares in three days.

That didn’t mean she wasn’t having them.

“I’ll point out that Geralt’s definition of fine includes being disemboweled. Just so we’re clear where the bar is.”

Ciri chuckled.

Would he have heard that sound without Jaskier?

He doubted it.

“I was.” He pointed out. He hadn’t died. Even if Jaskier hadn’t sown him back  
together he wouldn’t have died.

Jaskier’s face had been so pale. His heartrate rapid. That outfit had been faintly stained by his blood no matter how many times Jaskier washed it.

But his hands had been steady.

He’d have survived without Jaskier.

It just wouldn’t have been as pleasant.

“It wasn’t that bad.” Ciri snickered.

“Less yapping more stretching.” Vesemir ordered.

“Bold of you to assume I can’t do both. I’m a man of many talents.” Jaskier said bending into the lunge with only a twinge of discomfort.

“That’s for sure.” Lambert winked.

He was going to test Lamberts definition of _fine _after this.__

__They moved into planks. He glared at Lambert._ _

__Lambert grinned back at him._ _

__Piece of shit._ _

__Jaskier flopped onto his side after only a few seconds with a cry of “Nope nope not today thank you very much!”_ _

__He waited for Vesemir’s scolding._ _

__“Oh come on Jaskier!” Ciri pleaded instead. “Don’t leave me alone against them!”_ _

__“No my dear. If you wish to test the limits of human physiology against Witchers you must do so unaccompanied today.”_ _

__She exhaled her protest shakily._ _

__She dropped to her knees._ _

__Not as long as yesterday._ _

__The bags under her eyes were more pronounced._ _

__He didn’t comment._ _

__His muscles were burning. Eskel was frowning. Lambert still had that look._ _

__He’d outlast Lambert._ _

__Vesemir called for them to move on._ _

__He grumbled._ _

__Vesemir swapped several of their normal exercises for others. More legs less arms. They changed it up every day anyway it was just a lot more leg work than normal._ _

__Which was made obvious by how Jaskier rubbed them down after they were done. Bending over to massage the strain out._ _

__They were all watching him. Eskel with a small frown and Lambert with that hungry grin._ _

__Hopefully forms wouldn’t take too long. He needed to knock that look off his face._ _

__“Sword time!” Jaskier declared straightening up and grabbed his training blade._ _

__Vesemir took it from him. “No weapon today.”_ _

__“Well fine then.” Jaskier huffed._ _

__He didn’t take Ciri’s._ _

__She took her place next to him. “But you did so well yesterday?” She asked him quietly. Like it was a conversation for just them._ _

__“Hmmm you know what I think?” He whispered to her, knowing full well they could all still hear him. “He’s worried I might win if I spar again. A human beating a Witcher two days in a row? Their pride would never recover.”_ _

__Vesemir ordered them into the first form._ _

__Lambert angled himself so he could watch Jaskier._ _

__He had as well but he’d just wanted to keep an eye on Ciri._ _

__And Jaskier._ _

__When Vesemir finally called for sparring he was out for blood. He shoved Lambert into position._ _

__Vesemir sighed. Eskel moved over to where he’d stored the medical kit. Jaskier and Ciri settled into their normal viewing positions._ _

__“If you kill Lambert you’re cleaning it up.” Vesemir concluded._ _

__There wouldn’t be anything to clean up when he was done._ _

__He rushed him._ _

__He was stronger, faster and angrier than Lambert._ _

__Lambert wasted his time with Quen._ _

__He’d shattered it by the fourth strike._ _

__Eskel was next to Jaskier._ _

__“Give me your arm.” His eyes flickered over._ _

__Jaskier was looking at him, stunned. He placed his forearm in Eskel’s open palm._ _

__Lambert smashed in his shoulder._ _

__He repaid the blow to Lambert’s ribs._ _

__“You’re hurt?” Ciri asked concerned._ _

__Eskel was wrapping Jaskier’s wrist in a bandage._ _

__He blocked Lambert’s swing, the wooden blades splintering. Lambert punched him in the gut._ _

__He grabbed his stupid collar and pulled them to the ground._ _

__“It’s just a pulled muscle, I promise. It’ll better by tomorrow.” He told Ciri._ _

__“It’ll recover faster if it’s bound.” Eskel reminded him. All gentleness and soft words. “And hurt less.”_ _

__Lambert flipped them over smashing his shoulder into the stone and then pinned him there. He started scratching at the armor to tear it apart and reveal the breakable skin underneath._ _

__“That’s enough!” Vesemir barked. His fingers clenched on the seam of Lambert’s gauntlet ready to rip it apart. “Off each other now!”_ _

__They separated, still growling._ _

__“Are they alright?” Ciri asked._ _

__“Well they’re not hurt.” Eskel reassured her._ _

__Jaskier was looking at him. Disappointed._ _

__He should have won._ _

__He was better than Lambert he should have won._ _

__The rumbling in his chest got louder._ _

__“Geralt. Run the wall. Now.” Vesemir ordered._ _

__He was not a child._ _

__He didn’t have to do what Vesemir said._ _

__He took a step forward._ _

__“Geralt.” Jaskier says. “Go.”_ _

__Jaskier’s face was. Sad? Upset? He didn’t know._ _

__His wrist was wrapped. Eskel’s hand still holding his arm. Gentle._ _

__He hadn’t even noticed the injury._ _

__He went._ _

__

__“What was that about?” Ciri asked as Geralt disappeared over the keep walls._ _

__“He’s just a fucking sore loser.” Lambert said wiping spittle from his mouth._ _

__Jaskier hummed, a sound that was not entirely agreement._ _

__“Are you and Vesemir going to spar?” Jaskier asked Eskel fixing his eyes on him. He hadn’t moved his arm._ _

__Eskel startled at his gaze and turned to examine the stonework, scar angled away. He dropped his hand._ _

__Jaskier frowned._ _

__“Vesemir?” He asked quietly._ _

__“No I think we’ve had enough injuries today. Lambert you’re on armory duty.”_ _

__Lambert let out a displeased grumble._ _

__Vesemir headed towards the library. Ciri gave Jaskier a concerned glance before following after him._ _

__“Oh we didn’t get an assignment Eskel!” Jaskier nudged him. “Free day!”_ _

__He glanced at him briefly and went to clean up the discarded weapons. “I’m on lunch duty.”_ _

__“Oh.” Jaskier made a disappointed noise. “Can I help?”_ _

__He blinked and looked back at him. Glanced at his wrist. “You want to help?”_ _

__“Well,” Jaskier drew the word out tilting his head. “No. But I can’t really play right now and I’ll get bored by myself.”_ _

__“I’d hate for you to get bored.” He chuckled with a trace of fear. Jaskier was dangerous when he was bored. He returned the weapons to their places._ _

__“Yes I think we can all agree on that.” He looped his arm in Eskel’s._ _

__He froze. His jaw tight. Heart racing._ _

__Jaskier leaned into him slightly before the shoulder spikes repelled him. He settled for wrapping his hand around his bicep._ _

__“Do you want me to let go?” He asked quietly._ _

__After a moment he shook his head._ _

__“Okay.” Came Jaskier’s relieved reply. “Shall we?”_ _

__They started walking._ _

__He should be talking. He wasn’t Geralt, he should be talking. Geralt was pretty enough to pull off the silent asshole act. He wasn’t._ _

__He searched for something to say. Jaw working silently._ _

__Why wasn’t Jaskier talking? Geralt had described his ceaseless chatter many a time. He’d heard it plenty since he’d arrived._ _

__He glanced over. He was always surprised by how tall the man was. He was so slight it was easy to forget._ _

__His blue eyes were so distant. It made his chest clench painfully._ _

__“Was that about last night?” He asked as they entered the kitchen. Jaskier let go and dropped into a chair._ _

__His arm was cold._ _

__“Yeah probably.” His head drooped behind the headrest, eyes closed._ _

__He readied the kitchen for work. Starting the fire. Pulling out the food and equipment._ _

__“What happened?”_ _

__“Geralt was an ass, I got piss and I slept with Lambert. Pretty straightforward.”_ _

__“I wasn’t aware you could do anything straight.” His shoulders tensed._ _

__He hadn’t meant to say that._ _

__Jaskier’s chair creaked. “Was that a joke? Did you just make a joke? You have a sense of humor?” A delighted laugh rang out. “You keep getting better Eskel.”_ _

__His heart was racing again. It wasn’t enjoyable. But he didn’t want it to stop either._ _

__“Geralt makes jokes too. Its just hard to tell under the monotone voice.” He dropped into his Geralt impression to sell the point. Jaskier barked a laugh._ _

__“Gods don’t I know it. It took me almost a decade to figure that out!”_ _

__He began sectioning meat searing it as the oven heated. The dough Lambert had started last night had actually risen somewhat. He was almost impressed._ _

__Jaskier leaned back with a sigh. “Geralt asked why I’d never told him I could use a sword.”_ _

__His brow furrowed. He took out the cutting board for the vegetables. “And that pissed you off?”_ _

__“No- yes? No. He asked if it was a trick. If I’d tricked him. Like I’d intentionally hidden it from him. It just never came up! It’s not a trick that he doesn’t know my birthday or my sisters’ names or that I can play the hurdy gurdy!”_ _

__“When’s your birthday?”_ _

__“Summer solstice.” He waved away the tangent. “Look I understand how I come off. I don’t hold it against people when they underestimate me. It’s kept me alive on many an occasion. It’s just-” He huffed._ _

__He kept chopping. Rhythmic. Steady._ _

__“It’s been two decades and after all of that he couldn’t even imagine me being good at this. Even when I hit him in the face with it he couldn’t believe it.”_ _

__“I don’t think you ever actually hit his face.”_ _

__“Well of course not! I wouldn’t want to injure that perfect mug.”_ _

__The chopping stuttered. He shifted to work on the dough lowering his head._ _

__“Eskel?” Jaskier called out after a few moments._ _

__He didn’t respond his neck cricked slightly angling his scar to the floor._ _

__Jaskier got out of his chair._ _

__His throat was tight._ _

__He had just-_ _

__It didn’t matter._ _

__“So you’re upset we underestimated you?” He forced out._ _

__He’d done that too. He hadn’t thought he was a novice but he certainly hadn’t thought he was any good. Hadn’t thought he’d win._ _

__He’d lost a lot of gold to Vesemir yesterday._ _

__“No, I’m upset Geralt underestimated me because he should know better. If he was paying any attention at all he would have known better. You’re fine.” He was right behind him. His heart was racing. He kneaded the dough harder._ _

__“Eskel.” Jaskier was flush against his back now, his arms tucked under Eskel’s and his hands pressed against his chest. He tucked his face against the back of his neck. He could probably feel the way his heart raced. He’d traveled with Geralt long enough to know what a racing heartbeat was for a Witcher._ _

__He was shaking. Just a tiny tremor._ _

__He was a fucking adult Witcher. He shouldn’t be shaking at all._ _

__He could feel his lips moving on his skin._ _

__“Is it just that you don’t like how it looks?” His throat worked up and down. “Or does it still hurt?”_ _

__“It’s healed.” Jaskier hummed into his hair._ _

__“Well. I like your face very much Eskel.” His hands had stopped moving. They wouldn’t respond. “It’s a very kind face, Eskel.”_ _

__He kept saying his name. Eskel. Like how he said Ciri’s name. As if it was a precious gift that he got to say it at all._ _

__It wasn’t precious._ _

__He wanted him to say it again._ _

__“And if you want to share the story I’d be happy to listen. I’m good at listening to stories. Especially stories about scars.”_ _

__He curled in on himself slightly. But Jaskier’s warmth stayed._ _

__“I had a child of surprise once.” Jaskier’s warm breath brushed his hair. “It didn’t end well.”_ _

__Jaskier’s arms squeezed him._ _

__They stayed there. The oven burned hot next to them._ _

__It wasn’t as warm as Jaskier._ _

__“I should get back to work.” Jaskier hummed. He hummed a lot. He was a bard. That made sense._ _

__Jaskier didn’t let go._ _

__He smelled nice._ _

__He reached up and covered Jaskier’s hands in his. “Come on. You can fill the pies.”_ _

__“Oooh. I should leave Geralt’s empty. That’d be fitting.” Jaskier straightened and he let his hands go. Jaskier dragged his hands over his chest around his sides and onto his back before they finally departed._ _

__The warmth lingered even after he stepped away._ _

__Eskel worked the dough into the tin sliding it over to Jaskier to fill. He stood on his unscarred side. He was grateful._ _

__He paused filling the second one to smack his head. “Ugh.”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__“You said I could fill the pies and I just let that slide by. I’m disgusted. I’ve failed as a bard.”_ _

__He chuckled and sent him a questioning look._ _

__Jaskier started working again. “You know.” He waved the spoon around flicking filling around. “I’d be happy to fill your pie? I know what you can fill me with? So many miss opportunities.”_ _

__He froze._ _

__He needed to stop doing that._ _

__Jaskier was staring at him._ _

__“So you keep making that face and I don’t have enough experience with you to know if that’s a ‘stop saying that shit or I’ll punch you’ face or like a good face. I can stop if you don’t like it- ok no I can’t but I can cut back.”_ _

__“It’s fine.” He coughed out._ _

__“Geralt fine or my fine?”_ _

__“Your fine.”_ _

__“Oh I know. I’m a quality vintage.” Jaskier elbowed him. “You should partake some time.”_ _

__He snorted. “Did you miss the part were Geralt tried to kill Lambert this morning?”_ _

__“I must have been distracted by the lovely man bandaging my wrist.”_ _

__He elbowed him. “Fill your damn pie.”_ _

__“I’d be thrilled if you did.”_ _

__“Did I agree to an endless onslaught of pick-up lines?” He asked turning to the bard._ _

__“There’s an easy way to shut me up.” He said leaning closer angling his face to him._ _

__He shoved his face away. “I heard you last night. I know that doesn’t work.” He slid the last tin over and began loading the others into the oven._ _

__“Didn’t work for Lambert.” He shoveled the last of the filling in and handed him the tin. “Might work for you. Won’t know until you try.”_ _

__He threw a rag at his face to cover the look in his eyes. “Start cleaning up.”_ _

__“Boooo” Jaskier complained from under the towel. He pulled it off and sent Eskel a pout._ _

__“Get on with it.” He smiled._ _

__Jaskier’s expression collapsed into a grin. Eyes glittering. “Fine.”_ _

__

__The keep had the fading scent of food. He’d missed lunch. That was fine._ _

__If there wasn’t anything left he’d just eat some of the deer he’d brought in._ _

__It smelled good though. He hoped they’d saved some for him._ _

__He felt better. In control._ _

__He also felt worse._ _

__He dropped the deer in a snowbank near the kitchen and headed for the main hall where he could hear them. Smell the food lingering._ _

__He couldn’t see Jaskier but he could hear him. He was singing. Quietly. Lullabies._ _

__Eskel waved at him from the table, sorting through his deck. He motioned to his side._ _

__A pie._ _

__He went directly to it._ _

__Sunk his teeth in._ _

__Fuck that was good._ _

__Eskel was silently laughing at him._ _

__He glared at him but the heat wasn’t there._ _

__This day had been awful since before it’d even began._ _

__But there was pie._ _

__“Feeling better after hunting?” Eskel asked, voice so low no normal person could have heard it._ _

__“Hmm.” He agreed, matching the volume before turning to Jaskier’s voice._ _

__One bandaged arm peeked over the edge of the couch in front of the fire. Jaskier had claimed the couch the moment he’d spotted it._ _

__“He’s still pissed at you.”_ _

__He nodded._ _

__“When did you realize he was injured?”_ _

__“During warmups. Vesemir not letting him use a sword confirmed it.”_ _

__He sat down next to Eskel and tried to savor the pie. Jaskier’s voice began drifting in and out like sleepy waves._ _

__They listened to it._ _

__“He’s…” Eskel started watching Jaskier’s hand sway gently in time with his song. “Nice.” He finished._ _

__“Hmm.” He agreed._ _

__“He helped with the pies.”_ _

__He raised an eyebrow. Helped was likely a strong word for what he done._ _

__Eskel shoved him. “He did. A little. Not much. Mostly he stayed out of the way and just-“_ _

__Just kept him company._ _

__“Yeah.” He said. So Eskel would know he understood._ _

__He nodded appreciatively._ _

__The song was mostly just long hummed notes occasionally shifting up or down now. His hand had stilled on the back of the couch._ _

__“He wasn’t upset that you didn’t know. He was upset you’d underestimated him.”_ _

__He always underestimated Jaskier. He thought he’d leave after the elves or after he’d seen him black with potion. He thought he’d never forgive him for the Djinn or the mountain. He thought after twenty years the man couldn’t surprise him anymore. That they knew everything about each other._ _

__They didn’t. But Jaskier was so open and freely shared. He made it easy to forget._ _

__“Do you know his birthday?” Eskel asked._ _

__“He changes it every year. To whenever’s convenient.” After a contract that had them flush with coin he’d claim it. ‘Today is my birthday. We are celebrating.’_ _

__He would order baths for them both and demand to wash his hair. To braid it sometimes. Then he would order whatever sounded best at the inn. They’d split a confection from the bakery before bed._ _

__They were remarkably similar to countless other unremarkable days they shared._ _

__He remembered each one._ _

__“Wouldn’t he have claimed winter then? So we could celebrate it?”_ _

__“He already claimed it this year. Wouldn’t want to make himself any older than he already is.”_ _

__The song had faded into just Jaskier’s sleeping breath. Harmonizing with Ciri’s.  
He stood up._ _

__Vesemir had hidden a blanket under the couch weeks ago. Because Jaskier always forgot one before his naps. And he shivered without one._ _

__It was one of Vesemir’s. It smelled like him._ _

__He unfolded it over them._ _

__Ciri was nestled between Jaskier and the couch. Head pillowed on the bridge of his shoulder. Jaskier’s other hand lost in the mess of her hair._ _

__He breathed them in as he tucked the heavy fur blanket around them._ _

__They smelled like contentment. The smelled like him._ _

__They smelled like Eskel and Lambert and Vesemir and each other and him._ _

__He liked that smell a lot._ _

__Eskel joined him, leaning over the couch to watch them._ _

__His face matched the feeling in his chest._ _

__“It’s ok you know.” Eskel gave him a look that said he didn’t. “If you want him. You can have him.”_ _

__He was floored. “He’s your bard.”_ _

__“He will always be my bard. If you think he’s leaving with you in the spring you’re thicker than Selkie hide.”_ _

__He watched Jaskier and Ciri’s chests rise and fall as Eskel studied him._ _

__“You tried to kill Lambert this morning.”_ _

__“That’s because it was Lambert.” He said. That wasn’t right. He shook his head. He liked Lambert’s scent on Jaskier. “I was just angry.”_ _

__He brushed some hair from Ciri’s face. Eskel reached down slowly and caressed Jaskier’s cheek with the back of his hand._ _

__His chest rumbled._ _

__It felt nice._ _

__Eskel drew a deep breath._ _

__“You’re serious.” Voiced filled with awe._ _

__“He’s going to need somewhere to sleep when Yennifer arrives.” Eskel shot him an affronted look. “They don’t like sharing. Beds at least.”_ _

__“Then why’d you invite her?” Eskel growled._ _

__“Jaskier told me to.”_ _

__The growls stopped._ _

__“Ciri needs her. That’s what he said. He’s right.”_ _

__“So is this whole,” He motioned between Geralt and Jaskier, “Thing just a way for you two hurt each other? Cause I’m not okay with that. With hurting either of you.” He clenched the back of the couch too tightly._ _

__“No. He loves you Eskel.” He froze. “And I love Yennifer. And that’s fine. Because we always come back to each other.”_ _

__He wouldn’t underestimate Jaskier on that. Not after two decades. Not after the mountain._ _

__“I’m glad you get along. Lambert would be overwhelmed in a week by himself.”_ _

__“There’s plenty of rooms. He doesn’t have to sleep with us.”_ _

__“He hates sleeping alone.”_ _

__Eskel looked at them, sound asleep._ _

__He always napped in the main hall. There was almost always someone there. Even if they weren’t sleeping with him, they were with him._ _

__Jaskier didn’t like to be alone._ _

__He smoothed Vesemir’s blanket out over them._ _

__He wouldn’t be this winter._ _

__He stood up and headed for the door._ _

__“Where are you going?” Eskel asked._ _

__“I have to take care of the horses.”_ _

__“Oh.” He paused. “You’ll fix this right?” He motioned to Jaskier._ _

__He nodded._ _

__“Aright then. See you for dinner.”_ _

__He grunted and the door swung closed behind him._ _

__

__The stable door creaked open as he finished picking Scorpion’s hooves. He didn’t have to look up to know it was Jaskier. The sound of his walk was distinctive. Even outside of Kaer Morhen._ _

__Jaskier leaned against one of the empty stalls. Watching him._ _

__He waited. Jaskier would talk when he was ready. He began brushing him down._ _

__“Calmed down finally?”_ _

__He nodded._ _

__“You shouldn’t have attacked Lambert like that.”_ _

__He nodded._ _

__Jaskier waited. He patted Scorpion's withers as he moved back._ _

__Jaskier sighed, shoulders drooping. “And I’m sorry I ran off and slept with Lambert to punish you. It wasn’t fair to you or Lambert. Although I don’t think he particularly minded.”_ _

__“He wouldn’t. Angry sex is his favorite.” A fact he’d unfortunately learned over the decades._ _

__“Yes, I gather as much.” He smiled but it seemed sad. He began brushing down the other side of Scorpion. “But it was still cruel of me and I apologize.”_ _

__“I have done the same to you many times for far less.”_ _

__“Yes. But I’m not trading cruelties Geralt. If you wish to play that game do so with Yennifer.” He was looking away._ _

__“It’s fine.”_ _

__“I think we have established you do not have an adequate definition of fine Geralt.”_ _

__He chewed on how to explain it. “I don’t mind you sleeping with Lambert. Or Eskel. Or anyone else really.”_ _

__His shoulders sunk even lower. That wasn’t the response he’d been aiming for. “Oh so you just tried to rip his throat out today on a whim?”_ _

__His voice had a needling, joking tone. It didn’t match his posture._ _

__He patted Scorpion and put the brush away. “I wasn’t angry you slept with him. I was just angry.” Lambert was easy to be angry at. The man excelled at it._ _

__“About what Geralt?”_ _

__He sighed._ _

__Eskel had said Jaskier was mad he’d underestimated him._ _

__He underestimated him constantly._ _

__He had assumed he would have known after all this time if Jaskier was good with a sword. To the point he hadn’t believed it even as Jaskier proved he could._ _

__He’d assumed Jaskier couldn’t surprise him anymore._ _

__He hadn’t noticed Jaskier was injured. That he had injured Jaskier._ _

__“I’m not very perceptive.” He said stepping out of the stall closing the door behind him. “And I thought I was.”_ _

__“That’s why you called it a trick?”_ _

__He nodded._ _

__Jaskier seemed to accept this._ _

__He still looked sad._ _

__What had he done?_ _

__“Yes well I’m glad we got that sorted. I’ll leave you to it then.” He stood and started to leave._ _

__He grabbed his wrist. Loosely. He didn’t want to hurt him again._ _

__“What’s wrong?”_ _

__Jaskier didn’t turn around to face him. He closed his eyes. “It’s fine.”_ _

__“Sounds like it’s my kind of fine.”_ _

__Jaskier huffed a laugh._ _

__“It might be. But it is what it is.”_ _

__“And what is it exactly?”_ _

__“A one night stand apparently. It seems I have overestimated your regard yet again. You’d think after all this time I’d know better. But it seems there are still areas in which I am a slow learner.”_ _

__“What?” He asked, too horrified for a more dignified response._ _

__Jaskier tugged his hand, requesting its release. “Yes I am aware it was silly to hope for more. You know what they say about poets and bards though. Fanciful dreamers, the lot of us.”_ _

__He tightened his grip. “You thought you were a one night stand?”_ _

__Jaskier stopped trying to pull away but he didn’t turn around. “You have declared you do not care who I sleep with. Eskel or Lambert or anyone else.”_ _

__“Because I don’t.” Had he overestimated now? He didn’t want to underestimate Jaskier. He thought it had been clear. Dread pooled in his belly all the same._ _

__“Jaskier.” He begged. “Look at me.”_ _

__Jaskier squeezed his eyes shut._ _

__“Jaskier.” He stepped closer. “Please.”_ _

__He reached out and turned his face to his. His eyes stayed closed._ _

__He thought of how many times they had found each other. Sought each other out. How many times they had chosen each other over the offers of others. How after everything he’d done and said and hadn't said Jaskier still walked next to him._ _

__“I thought it was obvious, after all this time. I do not care who else you sleep with or who else you love.”_ _

__He took a steadying breath. It was a risky thing to say. But he didn’t want to leave room for doubt. If Jaskier did not feel the same then at least he would tell him._ _

__“Because I know you choose me above all others. Just as I choose you.” Jaskier opened his eyes. They searched his face. Beautiful and blue._ _

__“So I do not care if you love Eskel or Lambert or anyone else. Because I know you will walk with me in the spring.”_ _

__“That even when we do not walk together, if we part because you have fallen for some courtly estate or because I must venture were you cannot follow, that your heart is still mine just as mine is yours.”_ _

__He leaned forward pressing their foreheads together. Jaskier’s eyes were wide. “If I’m mistaken I hope you’ll tell me.”_ _

__He was scared. He’d been so certain but now he was not. Now that he had said it he was afraid it was not. That Jaskier would tell him he was wrong. That he’d fooled himself yet again._ _

__Jaskier’s hand came up to his face and held it. His blue eyes were watery._ _

__“Geralt of Rivia.” His voice wavered but did not break. “There has been no mistake. For I prefer you above all others. I will walk with you each spring we are allowed and my heart will be yours no matter where you go or who you see. I am yours first, last and always.”_ _

__He smiled._ _

__“Then I am going to kiss you.”_ _

__“You will traumatize the horses for you are a fool if you think it shall be just a kiss.”_ _

__“They’ve all seen worse.”_ _

__“Oh, well in that case.” Jaskier said and he leaned in._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!! Ok!!! If you enjoyed this send some serious love to anarchycox who is the main reason chapter two exists at all! (That and all the nice people wanting good things for Eskel. I see you and i love you)  
> Let me know if you enjoyed this! I'm abluescarfonwaston on tumblr if you wanna come hang out over there too.  
> Love y'all first, last and always.


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